cross-posting on several boards because there is more to Memorial Day than just being off work and barbequeing.

In Memory of:
John H.Craig, JR (aka Buddy) '56 25AUG1998 Franklin, Texas (from complications due to his Navy service during the Korean War)
SFC Paul R. Smith MOH 4APR03 Baghdad, Iraq
SSG Lincoln D. Hollinsaid 7APR03 Baghdad, Iraq
PFC Jason M. Meyer 7APR03 Baghdad, Iraq
SGT Curt E. Jordan 28DEC03 FOB Speicher, Iraq
SGT Ryan M. Campbell 4APR04 Baghdad, Iraq
SPC Isaac M. Nieves 8APR04 Bani Saad, Iraq
SPC James L. Beckstand 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq
PFC Norman Darling 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq
PFC Jeremy R. Ewing 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq
SPC Justin B. Schmidt 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq
SGT Michael L. Boatright 4DEC04 Baghdad, Iraq
SGT Dominic R. Coles 26DEC05 Baghdad, Iraq
SPC Antoine J. McKenzie 21MAR06 Baghdad, Iraq
CPL Robert L. Jones 17JUN06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq
SGT Reyes Ramirez 17JUN06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq
CPL Ryan J. Clark 29JUN06 Brook Army Medical Center, FT Sam Houston, Texas
SSG Omar D. Flores 8JUL06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq
CPL Troy C. Linden 8JUL06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq
CPL Joseph P. Micks 8JUL06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq
SGT Al'Kaila T. Floyd 13JUL06 Landstuhl, Germany
SGT Allen R. Bevington 21SEP06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq
SGT John A. Carroll 21SEP06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq
SGT John Mele 14SEP07 Arab Jabour, Iraq
SGT James A. McHale 30JUL08 Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Bethesda, Md
CPL Carlo E. Alfonso 26AUG08 Baghdad, Iraq
SPC Ja'mel A. Bryant 27SEP08 Baghdad, Iraq
SPC Alexis V. Maldonaldo 21AUG10 Kandahar, Afghanistan
PFC Adam E. Dobereiner 18NOV11 Kandahar, Afghanistan

MAJ (RET) Marvin D. Bentley 5MAr2015 Army Air Corps, Army Air Force, and Air Force Veteran
MAJ (RET) J.W. CHISM 31MAR2020 (from complications caused by his 3 deployments to Vietnam)
Don Tepera 23SEP2021 Franklin, Texas (from complications due to his service in the Navy during The Vietnam War)
SSG John H. Craig, III (aka JC, aka AGGIE12B)'88 TBD

RIP MY BROTHERS! You are not forgotten!
SEE Y'ALL ON THE OTHER SIDE

There are a lot of days when I would willingly trade places with just about everyone on this list. The exception being the first name on the list because no parent should outlive their kids.




[url=https://youtu.be/Bfe4TxvUOiw][/url]

Maj. Robert A. Richards, USAF Boeing B-52H-175-BW Stratofortress pilot 02-NOV-1967
near Rome-Griffiss AFB, Rome, New York
Shortly after takeoff the crew had indications of a fire and/or overheat with engines 5/6. They shut down both and and proceeded to Griffiss to land. The a/c was overweight. The first approach was terminated and control of the aircraft was lost during the missed approach. During what sounds like a stall, the A/C CC called for ejection. 2 of 8 crew member made it out of the aircraft and 6 were fatalities. Descriptions account that the aircraft rolled over from approx 2,000 feet. Sounds consistent with a stall but I don't know what would have caused it specifically. What caused the problem was multiple engine failures. The pilot stayed at the yoke and kept plane in air long enough to avoid crashing into trailer park.

The rest of the crew:
1st Lt. William S. Fairhurst, co-pilot - ejected
1st Lt. Sidney W. Glover, radar navigator - ejected but sustained broken leg and chest injuries
Maj. Lloyd D. Lassman, radar navigator - killed
Capt. Joe E. Turner, EWO - killed
S.Sgt. John Nealey Snyder, gunner- killed
S.Sgt. Willard F. Walker, crew chief - killed
Sgt. Gordon S. Flick, crew chief - killed


Maj Richards was the father of my wife's childhood best friend

Lest we forget.

MAJ Matthew Wade Worrell '94
14MAY06 Yusufiyah, Iraq

Quote:

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Silver Star Medal Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Major Matthew Wade Worrell, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as an AH-6 pilot with Company B, 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) on 14 May 2006, while operating against an entrenched enemy force during a daylight raid in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Major Worrell continued to make successive assaults in support of the ground forces, without regard for his own personal safety, until his aircraft was shot down. His actions destroyed several enemy positions, enabling the ground forces to consolidate into defensive positions. Without Major Worrell's courage and gallantry under hostile fire, the ground forces would have sustained significant casualties. He directly contributed to the successful execution of this direct action mission. Major Worrell's distinctive accomplishments are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, this command, and the United States Army.

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Thanks for posting this. I take my kids to do the Flags for the Fallen every year for this reason. My two oldest are finally old enough so I made them watch saving private Ryan last night for the first time too.
I wish there was a US flag emoji.

I was talking with some old Army buddies today and found out a few Soldiers I served with had passed away that I didn't know about

SGT Leroy Segura, Jr KIA 4Aug2006 in Habbaniyah, Iraq

Sgt Calvin LeBlanc death by drowning while saving his son's life. His son fell out of the boat. He jumped in to save his son, got his son back in the boat and then got caught up in a rip current and pulled under the water

SPC Jay Boye death by suicide
SPC Curtis Gearheart death by suicide
SFC Kevin Graham death by suicide

Aggie12B said:

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I was talking with some old Army buddies today and found out a few Soldiers I served with had passed away that I didn't know about

SGT Leroy Segura, Jr KIA 4Aug2006 in Habbaniyah, Iraq

Sgt Charles LeBlanc death by drowning

SPC Jay Boye death by suicide
SPC Ron Gearheart death by suicide

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The suicide numbers are horrible. At this point in my life I officially know more people who have taken their own lives, than died from combat.

My childhood friend, Major Tommy Bostick

We grew up together going to school in Llano. He joined the Army right out of high school and finished Basic & Airborne school in time to jump into Panama when the US removed Noriega from office. Later went to Ranger school.
He did multiple tours in the desert. Made it to E-7 Sergeant First Class then went to OCS and became an officer. He was a company commander at Camp Keating in A-Stan. Was on patrol with his guys one day and they came under heavy contact. Overwhelming numbers of insurgents. His guys were getting hit left & right. He exposed himself to enemy fire to give them a chance to get to cover and he got hit by small arms fire. He did the same thing later and was hit by small arms fire again. During this time he was still on the radio calling for artillery support. He exposed himself to fire again a 3rd time and was hit by an RPG and that's what got him. He was posthumously promoted to Major and awarded the Silver Star. They named an FOB in A-Stan after him (FOB Bostick). An official file review was done several years later and they upgraded his award to the Distinguished Service Cross. Fort Carson Colorado also has an annual award named after him for the best Calvary unit.

Camp Keating is where the book and movie "The Outpost" was set. He was KIA a few years before the big battle in the movie but if you listen to the movie, they mention him.

This photo of an eagle at Arlington went viral years ago. Still stirs the heart.



https://m.startribune.com/photo-of-eagle-on-fort-snelling-gravestone-touches-hearts-goes-viral/127347018/

FSGuide said:

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Aggie12B said:

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I was talking with some old Army buddies today and found out a few Soldiers I served with had passed away that I didn't know about

SGT Leroy Segura, Jr KIA 4Aug2006 in Habbaniyah, Iraq

Sgt Calvin LeBlanc death by drowning

SPC Jay Boye death by suicide
SPC Ron Gearheart death by suicide

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The suicide numbers are horrible. At this point in my life I officially know more people who have taken their own lives, than died from combat.

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I don't know if the number of Vets I know who have taken their own lives exceeds the number of people I know who have died in combat, but , if it doesn't exceed it, it's getting close